Item 1. Business

pharmacy benefit. For example, some states, under so-called "freedom of choice" legislation, provide members of the plan may not be required to use network providers, but must instead be provided with benefits even if they choose to use non-network providers. Some states have also enacted legislation, which, as described above, can negatively impact the use of cost-saving network configurations for plan sponsors. Other states have enacted legislation purporting to prohibit health plans from offering members financial incentives for use of home delivery pharmacies. Medicare and some states have issued guidance and regulations which limit our ability to fill or refill prescriptions electronically submitted by a physician to our home delivery pharmacy without first obtaining consent from the patient. Such restrictions generate additional costs and limit our ability to maximize efficiencies which could otherwise be gained through the electronic prescription and automatic refill processes. Legislation has been introduced in some states to prohibit or restrict therapeutic intervention, or to require coverage of all Food and Drug Administration approved drugs. Other states mandate coverage of certain benefits or conditions, and require health plan coverage of specific drugs if deemed medically necessary by the prescribing physician. States are also standardizing the process for, and restricting the use of, utilization management rules and shortening the time frames within which prescription drug prior authorization determinations must be made. Even where states do not regulate pharmacy benefit or utilization management companies directly, these laws will apply to many of our clients, including managed care organizations and health insurers.

Pharmacy Benefit Management and Drug Pricing Regulation

Our pharmacy benefit management services are subject to numerous laws and regulations. These laws and regulations govern, and proposed legislation and regulations may govern, critical practices, including disclosure, receipt and retention of rebates and other payments received from pharmaceutical manufacturers; the receipt and retention of transmission fees from contracted pharmacies; use of, administration of, and/or changes to drug formularies, maximum allowable cost list pricing, and/or clinical programs; disclosure of data to third parties; drug utilization management practices; the level of duty a pharmacy benefit manager owes its clients or customers; configuration of pharmacy networks; the operations of our subsidiary pharmacies; disclosure of negotiated provider reimbursement rates; disclosure of negotiated drug rebates, calculation of customer cost share for prescription drug claims; disclosure of fees associated with administrative service agreements and patient care programs that are attributable to customers' drug utilization; and registration or licensing of pharmacy benefit managers. Some states have adopted so-called "most favored nation" legislation which provides that a pharmacy participating in the state Medicaid program must give the state the best price the pharmacy makes available to any third-party plan.

Prescription drug pricing and the role of pharmacy benefit managers have been a focus of the current administration. In May 2018, the current administration announced a blueprint, titled "American Patients First," which considers a series of drug pricing proposals including, among other things, removal of the anti-kickback safe harbor protection for rebates between drug manufacturers and insurers and pharmacy benefit managers and improvements to pricing transparency. In October 2018, Congress enacted laws that prohibited pharmacy benefit managers and insurers from restricting pharmacies from providing drug pricing information to a plan enrollee when there is a difference between the cost of the drug under insurance and the cost of the drug when purchased without insurance. See also, "False Claims Act and Anti-Kickback Laws" for a discussion of HHS' proposed rule changes to the federal anti-kickback safe harbor to exclude regulatory protection for rebates between drug manufacturers and Medicare Part D plans, Medicaid managed care organizations and pharmacy benefit managers in the context of these government programs.

Some states have enacted statutes regulating the use of maximum allowable cost ("MAC") pricing. These statutes, referred to as "MAC Transparency Laws," generally require pharmacy benefit managers to disclose specific information related to MAC pricing to pharmacies and provide certain appeal rights for pharmacies. MAC Transparency Laws also restrict the application of MAC and may require operational changes to maintain compliance with the law. Some states have also enacted laws regulating pharmacy pricing and protecting the profitability of pharmacies for dispensing certain MAC-priced drugs. Some states have enacted laws requiring that the customer cost share for a prescription drug claim not exceed certain price points, such as the pharmacy's usual and customary charge or its contracted reimbursement for the drug.

In March 2018, the NAIC adopted changes to the Health Carrier Prescription Drug Benefit Management Model Act. The changes address issues relating to (i) transparency, accuracy and disclosure regarding prescription drug formularies and formulary changes during a policy year; (ii) accessibility of prescription drug benefits using a variety of pharmacy options; and (iii) tiered prescription drug formularies and discriminatory benefit design. While the actions of the NAIC do not have the force of law, they may influence states to adopt laws based on the model legislation.

The federal Medicaid rebate program requires participating drug manufacturers to provide rebates on all drugs reimbursed through state Medicaid programs, including through Medicaid managed care organizations. Manufacturers of brand name products must provide a rebate equivalent to the greater of (a) 23.1% of the average manufacturer price ("AMP") paid by retail community pharmacies or by wholesalers for certain drugs distributed to retail community pharmacies, or (b) the difference between AMP and the "best price" available to essentially any customer other than the Medicaid program and certain other government programs, with certain exceptions. We negotiate rebates with drug manufacturers and, in certain circumstances, sell services to drug manufacturers. Investigations are being and have been conducted by certain governmental entities which call into question whether a drug's "best price" was properly calculated and reported with respect to rebates paid by the manufacturers to the Medicaid programs. We are not responsible for such calculations, reports or payments.

Pharmacy Regulation

Our home delivery and specialty pharmacies are licensed to do business as a pharmacy in the states in which they are located. Most of the states into which we deliver pharmaceuticals have laws that require out-of-state home delivery pharmacies to register with, or be licensed by, the board of pharmacy or a similar regulatory body in the state. These states generally permit the pharmacy to follow the laws of the state in which the home delivery service is located, although some states require compliance with certain laws in that state as it impacts or relates to drugs distributed or dispensed into those states.

Our various pharmacy facilities also maintain certain Medicare and state Medicaid provider numbers as pharmacies providing services under these programs. Participation in these programs requires our pharmacies to comply with the applicable Medicare and Medicaid provider rules and regulations, and exposes the pharmacies to various changes the federal and state governments may impose regarding reimbursement methodologies and amounts to be paid to participating providers under these programs. In addition, several of our pharmacy facilities are

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participating providers under Medicare Part D and, as a condition to becoming a participating provider under Medicare Part D, the pharmacies are required to adhere to certain requirements applicable to Medicare Part D.

Other statutes and regulations affect our home delivery and specialty pharmacy operations, including the federal and state anti-kickback laws and the federal civil monetary penalty law described above. Federal and state statutes and regulations govern the labeling, packaging, advertising, adulteration and security of prescription drugs and the dispensing of controlled substances. The Federal Trade Commission requires mail order sellers of goods generally to engage in truthful advertising, to stock a reasonable supply of the product to be sold, to fill mail orders within thirty days and to provide clients with refunds when appropriate. The United States Postal Service also has significant statutory authority to restrict the delivery of drugs and medicines through the mail.

Financial Reporting, Internal Control and Corporate Governance

Regulators closely monitor the financial condition of licensed insurance companies and HMOs. States regulate the form and content of statutory financial statements, the type and concentration of permitted investments, and corporate governance over financial reporting. Our insurance and HMO subsidiaries are required to file periodic financial reports and schedules with regulators in most of the jurisdictions in which they do business as well as annual financial statements audited by independent registered public accounting firms. Certain insurance and HMO subsidiaries are required to file an annual report of internal control over financial reporting with most jurisdictions in which they do business. Insurance and HMO subsidiaries' operations and accounts are subject to examination by such agencies. Many states have expanded regulations relating to corporate governance and internal control activities of insurance and HMO subsidiaries as a result of model regulations adopted by the NAIC with elements similar to corporate governance and risk oversight disclosure requirements under federal securities laws.

Guaranty Associations, Indemnity Funds, Risk Pools and Administrative Funds

Most states and certain non-U.S. jurisdictions require insurance companies to support guaranty associations or indemnity funds that are established to pay claims on behalf of insolvent insurance companies. Some states have similar laws relating to HMOs and other payors, such as consumer operated and oriented plans (co-ops) established under the ACA. In the United States, these associations levy assessments on member insurers licensed in a particular state to pay such claims. Certain states require HMOs to participate in guaranty funds, special risk pools and administrative funds. For additional information about guaranty funds and other assessments, see Note 19 to our Consolidated Financial Statements.

Certain states continue to require health insurers and HMOs to participate in assigned risk plans, joint underwriting authorities, pools or other residual market mechanisms to cover risks not acceptable under normal underwriting standards, although some states have eliminated these requirements as a result of the ACA.

Solvency and Capital Requirements

Many states have adopted some form of the NAIC model solvency-related laws and risk-based capital rules ("RBC rules") for life and health insurance companies. The RBC rules recommend a minimum level of capital depending on the types and quality of investments held, the types of business written and the types of liabilities incurred. If the ratio of the insurer's adjusted surplus to its risk-based capital falls below statutorily required minimums, the insurer could be subject to regulatory actions ranging from increased scrutiny to conservatorship.

In addition, various non-U.S. jurisdictions prescribe minimum surplus requirements that are based upon solvency, liquidity and reserve coverage measures. Our HMOs and life and health insurance subsidiaries, as well as non-U.S. insurance subsidiaries, are compliant with applicable RBC and non-U.S. surplus rules.

The Risk Management and Own Risk and Solvency Assessment Model Act ("ORSA"), adopted by the NAIC, provides requirements and principles for maintaining a group solvency assessment and a risk management framework and reflects a broader approach to U.S. insurance regulation. ORSA includes a requirement to file an annual ORSA Summary Report in the lead state of domicile. To date, an overwhelming majority of the states have adopted the same or similar versions of ORSA. We file our ORSA report annually as required.

Holding Company Laws

Our domestic insurance companies and certain of our HMOs are subject to state laws regulating subsidiaries of insurance holding companies. Under such laws, certain dividends, distributions and other transactions between an insurance company or an HMO subsidiary and its affiliates may require notification to, or approval by, one or more state insurance commissioners. In addition, the holding company acts of states in which our subsidiaries are domiciled restrict the ability of any person to obtain control of an insurance company or HMO subsidiary without prior regulatory approval.

Marketing, Advertising and Products

In most states, our insurance companies and HMO subsidiaries are required to certify compliance with applicable advertising regulations on an annual basis. Our insurance companies and HMO subsidiaries are also required by most states to file and secure regulatory approval of products prior to the marketing, advertising, and sale of such products.

Licensing and Registration Requirements

Certain subsidiaries contract to provide claim administration, utilization management and other related services for the administration of self-insured benefit plans. These subsidiaries may be subject to state third-party administration and other licensing requirements and regulation, as well as third-party accreditation requirements.

We have received full accreditation for Utilization Review Accreditation Commission Pharmacy Benefit Management version 2.2 Standards, which includes quality standards for drug utilization management, and select subsidiaries have received full accreditation for Utilization

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Review Accreditation Commission for Health Utilization Management version 7.2, which includes quality standards for medical utilization management.

Certain states have adopted pharmacy benefit management registration and/or disclosure laws. In addition to registration laws, some states have adopted legislation mandating disclosure of various aspects of our financial practices, including those concerning pharmaceutical company revenue, as well as prescribing processes for prescription switching programs and client and provider audit terms.

Our international subsidiaries are often required to be licensed when entering new markets or starting new operations in certain jurisdictions. The licensure requirements for these subsidiaries vary by country and are subject to change.

International Regulations

Our operations outside the United States expose us to laws of multiple jurisdictions and the rules and regulations of various governing bodies and regulators, including those related to financial and other disclosures, corporate governance, privacy, data protection, data mining, data transfer, intellectual property, labor and employment, consumer protection, direct-to-consumer communications activities, tax, anti-corruption and anti-money laundering. Foreign laws and rules may include requirements that are different from, or more stringent than, similar requirements in the United States.

Our operations in countries outside the United States:

are subject to local regulations of the jurisdictions where we operate;

in some cases, are subject to regulations in the jurisdictions where customers reside; and

in all cases, are subject to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act ("FCPA").

In particular, in South Korea where we are selling insurance products directly to individual customers, regulators are focused on protecting the rights of individual customers by enforcing "Treating Customers Fairly" concepts. This regulatory focus results in rigorous data localization requirements, network separation obligations, and system monitoring restrictions, as well as obligations to closely monitor marketing communications and sales scripts. Anti-money laundering requirements in South Korea and other Asian countries where we do business also impose obligations to collect certain information about each customer at time of sale and to risk rank each customer to determine possible future money laundering risk.

The FCPA prohibits offering, promising, providing or authorizing others to give anything of value to a foreign government official or employee to obtain or retain business or otherwise secure a business advantage. Outside of the United States, we may interact with government officials in several different capacities: as regulators of our insurance business; as clients or partners who are state-owned or partially state-owned; as health care professionals who are employed by the government; as hospitals that are state-owned; and as officials issuing permits in connection with real estate transactions. Violations of the FCPA and other anti-corruption laws may result in severe criminal and civil sanctions as well as other penalties, and the SEC and DOJ have increased their enforcement activities with respect to FCPA. The UK Bribery Act of 2010 applies to all companies with a nexus to the United Kingdom. Under this act, any voluntary disclosures of FCPA violations may be shared with United Kingdom authorities, thus potentially exposing companies to liability and potential penalties in multiple jurisdictions.

Miscellaneous

Premiums and fees from CMS represented 16% of our total consolidated revenues for the year ended December 31, 2018 under a number of contracts. We are not dependent on business from one or a few customers. Other than CMS, no one customer accounted for 10% or more of our consolidated revenues in 2018. We are not dependent on business from one or a few brokers or agents. In addition, our insurance businesses are generally not committed to accept a fixed portion of the business submitted by independent brokers and agents, and generally all such business is subject to approval and acceptance.

We had approximately 73,800 employees as of December 31, 2018.

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**PART I **ITEM 1A. Risk Factors

ITEM 1A. Risk Factors

As a large global health service company operating in a complex industry, we encounter a variety of risks and uncertainties that could have a material adverse effect on our business, liquidity, results of operations, financial condition or the trading price of our securities. You should carefully consider each of the risks and uncertainties discussed below, together with other information contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including Management's Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition. These risks and uncertainties are not the only ones we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently believe to be immaterial may also adversely affect us. The following risk factors have been organized by category for ease of use; however many of the risks may have impacts in more than one category. These categories, therefore, should be viewed as a starting point for understanding the significant risks facing us and not as a limitation on the potential impact of the matters discussed. Risk factors are not necessarily listed in order of importance.

Strategic and Operational Risks

Future performance of our business will depend on our ability to execute our strategic and operational initiatives effectively.

The future performance of our business will depend in large part on our ability to effectively implement and execute our strategic and operational initiatives. Successfully executing on these initiatives depends on a number of factors, including our ability to:

differentiate our products and services from those of our competitors;

develop and introduce new and innovative products or programs, particularly in response to government regulation and the increased focus on consumer-directed products;

grow our commercial product portfolio;

identify and introduce the proper mix or integration of products that will be accepted by the marketplace;

identify products and solutions that focus on improving patient outcomes and assist in controlling costs;

evaluate drugs for efficacy, value and price to assist clients in selecting a cost-effective formulary;

offer cost-effective home delivery pharmacy and specialty services;

leverage purchase volume to deliver discounts to health benefit providers;

attract and retain sufficient numbers of qualified employees;

attract, develop and maintain collaborative relationships with a sufficient number of qualified partners;

attract new and maintain existing customer and client relationships;

transition health care providers from volume-based fee-for-service arrangements to a value-based system;

improve medical cost competitiveness in our targeted markets;

manage our medical, pharmacy, administrative, and other operating costs effectively; and

contract with pharmaceutical manufacturers and pharmacy providers on favorable terms.

For our strategic initiatives to succeed, we must effectively integrate our operations, including with Express Scripts and other acquired businesses, actively work to ensure consistency throughout the organization, and promote a global mind-set along with a focus on individual customers and clients. If we fail to do so, our business may be unable to grow as planned, or the result of expansion may be unsatisfactory. We will be unable to rapidly respond to competitive, economic and regulatory changes if we do not make important strategic and operational decisions quickly, define our appetite for risk specifically, implement new governance, managerial and organizational processes smoothly and communicate roles and responsibilities clearly. If these initiatives fail or are not executed on effectively, our consolidated financial position and results of operations could be negatively affected.

We operate in a highly competitive, evolving and rapidly changing industry and our failure to adapt could negatively impact our business.

The health service industry continues to be dynamic and rapidly evolving. Any significant shifts in the structure of the industry could alter industry dynamics and adversely affect our ability to attract or retain clients. Industry shifts could result (and have resulted) from, among other things:

a large intra- or inter-industry merger or industry consolidation;

strategic alliances;

new or alternative business models;

continuing consolidation among physicians, hospitals and other health care providers, as well as changes in the organizational structures chosen by physicians, hospitals and health care providers;

new market entrants, including those not traditionally in the health service industry;

the ability of larger employers and clients to contract directly with providers;

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**PART I **ITEM 1A. Risk Factors

technological changes and rapid shifts in the use of technology, such as telemedicine;

the impact or consequences of legislation or regulatory changes;

changes in the United States Postal Service or the consolidation of shipping carriers;

increased drug acquisition cost or unexpected changes to drug pricing trend;

change in the generic drug market or the failure of new generic drugs to come to market;

a general decrease in drug utilization; or

a general increase in utilization under risk-based contracts in the medical benefit management market.

Our failure to anticipate or appropriately adapt to changes in the industry could negatively impact our competitive position and adversely affect our business and results of operations.

Our failure to compete effectively to differentiate our products and services from those of our competitors and maintain or increase market share could materially adversely affect our results of operations, financial position and cash flows.

We operate in a highly competitive environment and an industry subject to significant market pressures brought about by customer and client needs, legislative and regulatory developments and other market factors. In particular markets, our competitors may have greater, better or more established capabilities, resources, market share, reputation or business relationships, or lower profit margin or financial return expectations. Our clients are well informed and organized and can easily move between our competitors and us. Our Express Scripts client contracts generally have three-year terms. As described in greater detail in the description of our business in Item 1 above (see page 11 of this Form 10-K), one of our key clients in the Health Services segment is the United States Department of Defense. If one or more of our large clients either terminates or does not renew a contract for any reason, including as a result of being acquired, or if the provisions of a contract with a large client are modified, renewed or otherwise changed with terms less favorable to us, our results of operations could be adversely affected and we could experience a negative reaction in the investment community resulting in decreases in the trading price of our securities or other adverse effects.

Our success depends, in part, on our ability to compete effectively in our markets, set prices appropriately in highly competitive markets to keep or increase our market share, increase customers as planned, differentiate our business offerings by innovating and delivering products and services that provide enhanced value to our customers, provide quality and satisfactory levels of service, and retain accounts with favorable medical cost experience or more profitable products versus retaining or increasing our customer base in accounts with unfavorable medical cost experience or less profitable products.

We must remain competitive to attract new customers, retain existing customers, and further integrate additional product and service offerings. To succeed in this highly competitive marketplace, it is imperative we maintain a strong reputation. The negative reputational impact of a significant event, including a failure to execute on customer or client contracts or strategic or operational initiatives, or failure to innovate and deliver products and services that demonstrate greater value to our customers, could affect our ability to grow and retain profitable arrangements, which could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

We face price competition and other pressures that could compress our margins or result in premiums that are insufficient to cover the cost of services delivered to our customers.

While we compete on the basis of many service and quality-related factors, we expect that price will continue to be a significant basis of competition. Our client contracts are subject to negotiation as clients seek to contain their costs, including by reducing benefits offered. Increasingly, our clients seek to negotiate performance guarantees that require us to pay penalties if the guaranteed performance standard is not met. Clients can easily move between our competitors and us. Our clients are well-informed and typically have knowledgeable consultants that seek competing bids from our competitors before contract renewal. In addition, as brokers and benefit consultants seek to enhance their revenue streams, they look to take on services that we typically provide. Each of these events could negatively impact our financial results.

Further, federal and state regulatory agencies may restrict our ability to implement changes in premium rates. Fiscal or other concerns related to the government-sponsored programs in which we participate, such as Medicare, may cause decreasing reimbursement rates, delays in premium payments or insufficient increases in reimbursement rates. Any limitation on our ability to maintain or increase our premium or reimbursement levels, or a significant loss of customers or clients resulting from our need to increase or maintain premium or reimbursement levels, could adversely affect our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations.

Premiums in the Integrated Medical segment are generally set for one-year periods and are priced well in advance of the date on which the contract commences or renews. Our revenue on Medicare policies is based on bids submitted mid-year in the year before the contract year. Although we base the premiums we charge and our Medicare bids on our estimate of future health care costs over the contract period, actual costs may exceed what we estimate in setting premiums. Our health care costs also are affected by external events that we cannot forecast or project and over which we have little or no control, as well as changes in customers' health care utilization patterns and provider billing practices. Our profitability depends, in part, on our ability to accurately predict, price for and effectively manage future health care costs. Relatively small differences between predicted and actual medical costs or utilization rates as a percentage of revenue can result in significant changes in our financial results.

Strong competition within the pharmacy benefit business has also generated greater demand for lower product and service pricing, increased revenue sharing and enhanced product and service offerings. These competitive factors have historically applied pressure on our operating margins and caused many companies, including us, to reduce the prices charged for products and services while sharing with clients a greater portion of the formulary fees and related rebates received from pharmaceutical manufacturers. Our inability to maintain positive trends, or

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failure to identify and implement new ways to mitigate pricing pressures, could negatively impact our ability to attract or retain clients or sell additional services, which could negatively impact our margins and have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

The reserves we hold for expected medical claims are based on estimates that involve an extensive degree of judgment and are inherently variable. If actual claims exceed our estimates, our operating results could be materially adversely affected, and our ability to take timely corrective actions to contain future costs may be limited.

We maintain and record medical claims reserves on our balance sheet for estimated future payments. Our estimates of health care costs payable are based on a number of factors, including historical claim experience, but this estimation process requires extensive judgment. Considerable variability is inherent in such estimates, and the accuracy of the estimates is highly sensitive to changes in medical claims submission and processing patterns and/or procedures, changes in customer base and product mix, changes in the utilization of medical and/or other covered services, changes in medical cost trends, changes in our medical management practices and the introduction of new benefits and products. If we are not able to accurately and promptly anticipate and detect medical cost trends, our ability to take timely corrective actions to limit future costs and reflect our current benefit cost experience in our pricing process may be limited. Because establishing these reserves is an inherently uncertain process involving estimates of future losses, there can be no certainty that ultimate losses will not exceed existing medical claims reserves.

If we fail to develop and maintain satisfactory relationships with physicians, hospitals and other health service providers, our business and results of operations may be adversely affected.

We contract with physicians, hospitals and other health service providers and facilities to provide health services to our customers. Our results of operations are substantially dependent on our ability to contract for these services at competitive prices. In any particular market, physicians, hospitals and health service providers may enter into exclusive arrangements with competitors or simply refuse to contract with us, demand higher payments or take other actions that could result in higher medical costs or less desirable products or services for our customers. In some markets, certain providers, particularly hospitals, physician/hospital organizations and multi-specialty physician groups, may have significant or controlling market positions that could result in a diminished bargaining position for us. If providers refuse to contract with us, use their market position to negotiate more favorable contracts or place us at a competitive disadvantage, our ability to market products or to be profitable in those areas could be materially and adversely affected. Establishing collaborative arrangements with physician groups, specialist groups, independent practice associations, hospitals and health care delivery systems is key to our strategic focus to transition from volume-based fee-for-service arrangements to a value-based health care system. If such collaborative arrangements do not result in the lower medical costs that we project or if we fail to attract health care providers to such arrangements, or are less successful at implementing such arrangements than our competitors, our attractiveness to customers may be reduced and our ability to profitably grow our business may be adversely affected.

Our ability to develop and maintain satisfactory relationships with providers may also be negatively impacted by other factors not associated with us, such as changes in Medicare and/or Medicaid reimbursement levels, increasing pressure on revenue and other pressures on health care providers and increasing consolidation activity among hospitals, physician groups and providers. Continuing consolidation among physicians, hospitals and other providers, the emergence of accountable care organizations, vertical integration of providers and other entities, changes in the organizational structures chosen by physicians, hospitals and providers and new market entrants, including those not traditionally in the health care industry, may affect the way providers interact with us and may change the competitive landscape in which we operate. In some instances, these organizations may compete directly with us, potentially affecting the way we price our products and services or cause us to incur increased costs if we change our operations to be more competitive.

Out-of-network providers are not limited by any agreement with us in the amounts they bill. While benefit plans place limits on the amount of charges that will be considered for reimbursement, out-of-network providers have become increasingly sophisticated and aggressive and such limitations can be difficult to enforce. As a result, the outcome of disputes where we do not have a provider contract may cause us to pay higher medical or other benefit costs than we projected.

If we lose our relationship with one or more key pharmaceutical manufacturers, or if the payments made or discounts provided by pharmaceutical manufacturers decline, our business and results of operations could be adversely affected.

We maintain contractual relationships with numerous pharmaceutical manufacturers, which provide us with, among other things:

discounts for drugs we purchase to be dispensed from our home delivery and specialty pharmacies;

discounts, in the form of rebates, for drug utilization;

fees for administering rebate programs, including invoicing, allocating and collecting rebates;

fees for services provided to pharmaceutical manufacturers by our specialty pharmacies; and

access to limited distribution specialty pharmaceuticals by our specialty pharmacies.

Our contracts with pharmaceutical manufacturers are typically non-exclusive and terminable on relatively short notice by either party. The consolidation of pharmaceutical manufacturers, the termination or material alteration of our contractual relationships, or our failure to renew such contracts on favorable terms could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations. In addition, arrangements between payors and pharmaceutical manufacturers have been the subject of debate in federal and state legislatures and various other public and governmental forums. Adoption of new laws, rules or regulations or changes in, or new interpretations of, existing laws, rules or regulations, relating to any of these programs could materially adversely affect our business and results of operations.

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If significant changes occur within the pharmacy provider marketplace, or if other issues arise with respect to our pharmacy networks, including the loss of or adverse change in our relationship with one or more key pharmacy providers, our business and financial results could be impaired.

More than 68,000 retail pharmacies, which represent over 99% of all United States retail pharmacies, participated in one or more of our networks as of December 31, 2018. The ten largest retail pharmacy chains represent approximately 61% of the total number of stores in our largest network. In certain geographic areas of the United States, our networks may be comprised of higher concentrations of one or more large pharmacy chains. Contracts with retail pharmacies are generally non-exclusive and are terminable on relatively short notice by either party. If one or more of the larger pharmacy chains terminates its relationship with us, or is able to renegotiate terms substantially less favorable to us, our customers' access to retail pharmacies and/or our business could be materially adversely affected. The entry of one or more additional large pharmacy chains into the pharmacy benefit management business, the consolidation of existing pharmacy chains or increased leverage or market share by the largest pharmacy providers could increase the likelihood of negative changes in our relationship with such pharmacies. Changes in the overall composition of our pharmacy networks, or reduced pharmacy access under our networks, could have a negative impact on our claims volume and/or our competitiveness in the marketplace, which could cause us to fall short of certain guarantees in our contracts with clients or otherwise impair our business or results of operations.

Changes in drug pricing or industry pricing benchmarks could materially impact our financial performance.

Contracts in the prescription drug industry, including our contracts with retail pharmacy networks and our pharmacy and specialty pharmacy clients, generally use "average wholesale price" or "AWP," which is published by a third party, as a benchmark to establish pricing for prescription drugs. If AWP is no longer published by third parties, we adopt other pricing benchmarks for establishing prices within the industry or future changes in drug prices substantially deviate from our expectations, the short- or long-term impacts may have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

As a global company, we face political, legal, operational, regulatory, economic and other risks that present challenges and could negatively affect our multinational operations and/or our long-term growth.

As a global company, our business is increasingly exposed to risks inherent in foreign operations. These risks can vary substantially by market, and include political, legal, operational, regulatory, economic and other risks, including government intervention that we do not face in our U.S. operations. The global nature of our business and operations may present challenges including, but not limited to, those arising from:

geopolitical business conditions and demands, including the June 2016 referendum in the United Kingdom to leave the European Union;

regulation that may discriminate against U.S. companies, favor nationalization or expropriate assets;

price controls or other pricing issues and exchange controls; restrictions that prevent us from transferring funds out of the countries in which we operate; foreign currency exchange rates and fluctuations and restrictions on converting currencies from foreign operations into other currencies; uncertainty with respect to the interpretation of tax positions;

reliance on local employees and interpretations of labor laws in foreign jurisdictions;

managing our partner relationships in countries outside of the United States;

providing data protection on a global basis and sufficient levels of technical support in different locations;

the global trend for companies to enact local data residency requirements;

acts of war, terrorism, natural disasters or pandemics in locations where we operate; and

general economic and political conditions.

These factors may increase in significance as we continue to expand globally and operating in new foreign markets may require considerable management time before operations generate any significant revenues and earnings. Any one of these challenges could negatively affect our operations or long-term growth. For example, due to the concentration of our international business in South Korea, the International Markets segment is exposed to potential losses resulting from economic and regulatory changes in that country and the geopolitical climate in the Korean Peninsula, as well as foreign currency movements affecting the South Korean currency, that could have a significant impact on the segment's results and our consolidated financial results.

International operations also require us to devote significant resources to implement controls and systems in new markets to comply with, and to ensure that our vendors and partners comply with, U.S. and foreign laws prohibiting bribery, corruption and money laundering, in addition to other regulations regarding, among other things, our products, direct-to-consumer communications, customer privacy, data protection and data residency. Violations of these laws and regulations could result in fines, criminal sanctions against us, our officers or employees, restrictions or outright prohibitions on the conduct of our business and significant reputational harm. Our success depends, in part, on our ability to anticipate these risks and manage these challenges. Our failure to comply with laws and regulations governing our conduct outside the United States or to establish constructive relations with non-U.S. regulators could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition, liquidity and long-term growth.

We are dependent on the success of our relationships with third parties for various services and functions.

To improve operating costs, productivity and efficiencies, we contract with third parties for the provision of specific services. Our operations may be adversely affected if a third party fails to satisfy its obligations to us, if the arrangement is terminated in whole or in part or if there is a

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**PART I